Hinds, Norton aboard London’s ‘Night Alive’

LONDON — Heading a slew of London casting news, Ciaran Hinds, now playing Big Daddy in Gotham’s production of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” and Jim Norton, recently in the Rialto revival of “Drood,” will star in the world preem of “The Night Alive,” written and helmed by Conor McPherson at the Donmar Warehouse.

A drama about hope struggling with the pull of the past, the production, designed by Soutra Gilmour and lit by Neil Austin (“Red”), runs June 13-July 27 with a June 19 opening. Both Hinds and Norton appeared in “The Seafarer” on Broadway in a 2007 stint.

Also starring Caoilfhionn Dunne, Brian Gleeson and Michael McElhatton, the production is the second part of the Donmar’s McPherson double dose, with a.d. Josie Rourke helming the first London revival of McPherson’s 1997 breakthrough “The Weir.”

Brian Cox stars in that production, alongside Risteard Cooper, Dervla Kirwan, Peter McDonald and Ardal O’Hanlon. Running April 18-June 8 with an April 25 opening, Rourke’s revival of McPherson’s haunting tale set in a rural Irish pub will be designed by Tom Scutt and lit by Austin. The original 1997 Royal Court production subsequently transferred to the West End and Broadway.

In further London casting news, Robert Sean Leonard will star as Atticus Finch in a new production of “To Kill a Mockingbird” at Regent’s Park Open Air Theater. Helmed by the theater’s a.d. Timothy Sheader (“Into the Woods,” both in London and in New York), the production opens the 2013 season May 16 and runs until June 15. It reps Leonard’s second London appearance stage, following a 1991 revival of “Our Town” opposite Alan Alda.

Meanwhile, Owen Teale (“A Doll’s House”) will join the previously announced Zoe Wanamaker in David Levaux’s new West End production of “Passion Play,” Peter Nichols’ comedy/drama of marital infidelity. Opening May 7 at the Duke of York’s theater, the Tali Pelman Prods. and Ambassador Theater Group production also stars Samantha Bond, Oliver Cotton, Annabel Scholey and Sian Thomas.